


Always The Same

by Gabe-Trash (WardenQueen666)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean is an Idiot, Fluff, Fluffy Mc'Flufferton, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Not a coffee shop AU but there is a coffee shop, Sam Ships It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-29
Updated: 2016-05-29
Packaged: 2018-07-10 20:48:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7005871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WardenQueen666/pseuds/Gabe-Trash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel has been away, studying in England for a year. Finally, he and Dean have arranged to meet so that they can catch up. However, Dean is terrified. He doesn't understand why he feels the way he does, and why the hell did he spend so much time trying to decide what to wear?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always The Same

**Author's Note:**

  * For [StarlightDragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlightDragon/gifts).



“SAM! CAN YOU COME UP HERE?!”

 

Dean admired himself in the closet mirror, black jeans, green plaid and Dr Martins clothed his skin. He looked himself up and down, from his lightly spiked hair, to his polished boots. He had spent the last hour and a half picking out the right outfit. He had to look good today; he had to.

 

The ear piercing sound of a creaking door alerted Dean to the fact that his brother had arrived in his room - he could feel the bitch face stabbing him from behind. Turning to face him, and acknowledging that yes, he was right about the bitch face, Dean smiled awkwardly and gestured to his body. “So, what d’ya think? Too much?”

 

Sam raised an eyebrow and tried to force a grin from breaking out on his face. Dean looked like a teenager about to go to prom with his highschool sweetheart. _‘Well,’_ he thought, mockingly, _‘highschool sweetheart maybe.’_ Chuckling, he smiled at his older brother, giving him a supportive thumbs up. “You look great, Dean. Cas is gonna love it.”

 

Dean’s cheeks coloured a dark pink; his eyes widened. “I-i’m not wearing this for _Cas_ ,” He insisted, bringing his hands up in front of his chest. “I’m wearing this for me. L-like, well, Cas has been away leaning to be a fancy-smancy writer and, well,” Dean scratched the back of his neck in frustration, “I wanna show that i’ve done well for myself too. That’s all. Yeah.”

 

If Sam’s eyebrow could raise any higher, it would be in his hairline. “Really?” He asked, rhetorically, “are you _sure_?”

 

Dean turned away from his brother, facing the mirror again. Once more, he looked himself up and down, but didn’t look up again. “Actually…” He spoke softly; almost inaudibly, “I’m not.”

 

Sam’s face fell; he did not expect that kind of admittance from his high strung brother, who bottles up his feelings like rain before a drought. He stoned his expression, pacing across the room. “Hey,” clasping a hand on his brother’s shoulder, Sam shot him a reassuring smile, “You got this. Trust me.”

 

A weight seemingly lifted from Dean’s shoulders in that moment. Lifting his head, he caught Sam’s eyes in the reflection, smirking. “Yeah, you’re right.” He shook his head, laughing quietly. “Whatever _it_ is, i’ve got it.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

Blue eyes stared out of a coffee shop window, watching and waiting for an old face to show. Castiel Novak, first year English student at the University of Cambridge, had been studying away from home for a long time now. He had missed many things in his year away, but he missed the people more. Or, so to say, he missed one person more than anything. He and Dean had been best friends since highschool, when Dean stopped a bully from picking on Cas during their lunch break. It was well known that Cas’ romantic interests were not of the female sort - he never hid it. However, highschool was a harsh place to be for someone like him. He was forever grateful for Dean being in his life and protecting him throughout the years.

Cas sighed in reminiscence, smiling to himself. There was only ever one person he wanted to be with. Sadly, said person was the straightest guy to ever straight.

The appearance of a very familiar car parking across the street was enough to jostle Cas from his musings, sitting up in apprehension.

 

Dean walked on shaking legs. He couldn’t figure out why he was so nervous. It was only _Cas_ \- His _best friend_ . Taking a breath, he entered the coffee shop where they spent everyday after school for as long as either of them could remember. It was their safe haven. ’ _Then why do I feel so frightened?'_ Dean cursed his cowardice, thanking the powers that be for the way Cas looked that day. The same trenchcoat. The same backwards blue tie. The same tousled dark hair. The familiarity calmed his nerves slightly. “Hey, Cas!”

 

Cas grinned at the call, waving happily. “Hello, Dean,” He greeted his best friend, still grinning as Dean sat down opposite him. “How have you been?”

 

“How have _I_ been?” Dean chuckled, shaking his head fondly. “How have _you_ been, London boy?”

 

Cas smiled, embarrassed. He had already forgotten how much time they had spent apart. Things were exactly the same. “Things have been very well, actually.” Shrugging, he lowered his chin to his chest. “I’m, well. I’m top of my class, if you can believe it.”

 

Dean’s face lit up; he grabbed Castiel’s hand, excited. “Top of your class?! I mean, I never doubted you but, shit Cas. I’m so happy for you.”

 

Cas’ own face lit up in turn, grasping Dean’s hand back. “London itself is hectic.” It took a lot for him to carry on talking without getting lost in Dean’s eyes, but he persevered. “You know I have never been good with crowds. But, I made a friend, Balthazar, who has been helping me get around. He taught me how to use the underground and gets the train with me to Cambridge in the mornings."

 

Heart sinking in his chest, Dean forced his smile not to falter. It was unknown to him just _why_ the mention of this _Balthazar_ made him feel so broken. Or maybe he did know, deep down. “Just a friend?” He threw on a smirk and a raised eyebrow, turning hurt into supportive friendly banter. Cas meant the world to Dean, who was he to deny him happiness?

 

Cas’ head recoiled in shock, “he’s just a friend, Dean.” Moving in closer, he searched the other man’s eyes, pursing his lips in thought. “Why are you forcing your expression?” He furrowed his brow, confused, before his eyes widened in realisation. “Are you, perhaps, jealous?”

 

Dean pulled his hand away, like he had been burnt. If you looked at his face, you would presume he actually had been; he was so red. “I. Well. No. Of course not. You have other friends; I have other friends. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

 

Cas couldn’t believe his eyes, Dean was being truthful in that statement. There was nothing wrong with Cas having other friends, but that wasn’t the problem. “There’s more though, isn’t there?” He reached out for Dean’s arm, wrapping his hand around it. “You know you can talk to me, Dean.”

 

Biting his lip, Dean sighed, resigning himself to actually endure this chick flick moment. “Well, you see…” He took a breath. Then another. And another. “I’m… not sure?”

 

“You’re… not sure?” Cas tilted his head, forehead creasing. “Not sure about what?”

 

Dean couldn’t look Cas in the eye as he spoke, choosing to stare the table down instead. “I’m not sure what i’m feeling, okay?” Clenching his fist, Dean shook, trying to come to terms with his own mind. “I know i’ve never been completely straight. I know. And, well, I think you know it too deep down.” He refused to cry - Not there; not then. “But, there’s never really been anyone i’ve been interested in like that, that wasn’t a chick.” He gulped, looking up into those pools of ethereal blue. “Until… you.”

 

Was this a dream? Cas couldn’t tell. It would certainly be an excellent explanation for the words that just came out of Dean Winchester’s mouth. He gaped, lips quivering. His voice would not come to him. “M-m,” he forced the word from his throat, just the one. “Me?”

 

If there was one person Dean knew well, aside from his brother, it was Castiel Novak. Cas wasn’t shocked about Dean’s confession in liking men, no. He was shocked about Dean having feelings for _him_. Not just shocked, but happy. That was the bit that Dean couldn’t comprehend. “Yeah, Cas. You.” A small, sad smile tugged at his lips. If Dean believed he was worth the love someone could give him, maybe he would think differently. However, doubt clouded his mind. “I’d understand if you never wanted to see me again, Cas.” He closed his eyes, shunning the tears from the world. “Must be weird having your best friend come out with something like that, after coming out.” Chuckling darkly, he swung his legs out of the booth. “I’ll see you around, maybe.”

 

It took a few late seconds for Cas’ brain to catch up, but when it did, his eyes filled with fury. Snatching a handful of green plaid, Cas glared at the man before him. “Dean Winchester!”

 

Dean stilled, worrying his lip between his teeth. This was it. This was the moment that he had dreaded since he started having these incessant feelings. His best friend hated him. He knew it.

 

Cas could see the hurt in Dean’s eyes, and it made him mad. “You, Dean, are the most idiotic, self deprecating, _lovable_ assbutt I have ever had the pleasure of meeting!”

 

Dean was about to turn tail and run, before his ears caught on to a particular word. “L-lovable? Wha?”

 

Feeling satisfied that he had successfully gained Dean’s attention, Castiel sat back and smiled warmly. “Yes, Dean. Lovable.” Fiddling with his fingers, Cas told himself that he was not going to back down. He was on a mission. “The kind of person that someone could have been in love with since highschool, if you really need to know.”

 

Dean could have been compared to a fish, with the way his mouth opened and closed. His thoughts were mush. “Loved… since highschool?” Almost in slow motion, Dean closed his mouth, and Cas watched as it stretched from side to side in the biggest smile he had ever seen appear on the Winchester’s face. “S-same! Me, Me too! Yeah!” Dean was practically vibrating with excitement, he had never thought this would be possible. “I, well, I never accepted it really. But, it was there, yeah. It was. I. Yeah.” He covered his mouth, still smiling with his eyes.

 

Castiel blinked, a build up of tears causing his vision to fog. “You… you felt the same?”

 

“No, Cas,” Reaching across the table, Dean smiled, cupping Cas’ face in his palm. “I _feel_ the same.”

 

Letting the tears fall, Cas leant into Dean’s palm, content to stay in that spot forever. Although, there was one thing he would rather do. Thankfully, Dean seemed to have the same idea. They leaned in, slowly, inch by inch, gradually bringing their lips closer together, before they met in the middle. The kiss was soft; sweet. It filled their chests with warmth. The entire world seemed to fade away while they were connected - they were the only two that mattered.

Sadly, the moment couldn’t last forever. They parted, foreheads resting on one another, noses touching and smiles mirroring the other.

 

“Well then, I just lost 50 bucks.”

 

Both Cas and Dean jumped away from each other in synch, eyes wide and hearts pounding. They had forgotten they were in public. Standing in front of the table, was their usual waiter, Steven, smirking at them over his notepad.

 

Steven faced away from the table, so that he could address the rest of the shop. “Alright guys! Time to pay up! Don’t think about skimping - I still have the betting list.”

 

“What the actual **_fuck_ ** Steven?” Dean growled, teeth bared, while Cas just put his head in his hands, having already figured out what was going on.

 

“We’ve had a betting pool out on you guys for years.” Steven shrugged, brushing off the comment.

 

Dean just stared at him blankly, not understanding how anyone could have come to the conclusion before them.

 

Steven shook his head, "honestly Dean, you were so far back in the closet, that you fucking... met Aslan. I swear. You probably even had time to stay for tea with Mr Tumnus."

 

"Shut the fuck up Steven, nobody asked you.”

Cas spluttered at Dean’s brash statement, covering his mouth to keep his giggles in check. Dean just smiled at him, taking his free hand in his own. “Oh, forget it. Steven, the usual please.”

  
It didn’t take long for the news to get around. Sam was accepting, of course. In fact, he was over the moon about it. Charlie was in on the betting pool since her “gaydar is never wrong,” and Gabriel had new ammunition for jokes. Even Garth and Kevin went out for drinks to celebrate. In the end, nothing really changed between them. Everything pretty much stayed the same. The only difference was that they finally accepted what was always there, right from the beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all!  
> This was based on an amazing tumblr prompt by StarlightDragon!  
> I really hope you enjoyed it! Any and all feedback is welcome!  
> Thank you!  
> ~Char


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